Life-saving dress.



W. MAODONALD- LIFE SAVING DRESS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1912.

Patented Dec.31, 1912.

WITNESSES ATS arnnfr @FFMJE LIFE-SAVING DRESS.

Leas es.

Specification of 'Letters Patent,

Application filed August 1, 1912.

llfatented Dec. 31, 1912-.

sci-m1 no 712,614.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM MaeDoxmin, citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Westminster, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented a new and useful Life-Saving Dress, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a life saving dress which has been designed to 'afi'ord to the wearer both buoyancy and protection against cold when immersed in the water. The invention comprises the combination with, a body enveloping dress of: waterproof material, of a secondary portion of Water and air proof material attached to the upper part of the body enveloping: dress with which it is in connection, and having revision by which it may closely encircle he neck of the wearer.

of ample size that it may be worn over the ordinary clothes of the wearer, the object being that the air displaced from the body portion when the wearer is in the water, will collect in the supplementary air containing chamber formed by the secondary portion and will afford sutiicicnt buoyancy to sustain the wearer in the ovatcr tor a considerable length of time.

This dress being .worn over the ordinary clothes of the wearer will, unlike a life belt, prevent the wearer from being directly exposed to the water and will. enable the natural warmth of the body to be retained until such time as rescue is effected.

The invention is particularly described in the followingspecitication, reference being made to the drawings by which it is ac COH'IPZUIlQCl, in which:

Figure 1 represents the general form oi the dress, and Fig. 2, the upper part of it in part section showing the supplementary air retaining c )mpartnient formed, around the shoulders when the lower part of the dress is immersed.

In these drawings 2 represents a body enveloping dress of water-proof material having legs and arms andcut suiliciently full, to enable a person of either sex to get readily into it with their clothes on, the only close fitting portion being that for the reception of the hand, which may either be fingered as aglove or formed as a mitt. The material of which this is made may be 55 of stout fabric, such as is used for waders,

but should be entirely water-proof. Its

The main or body portion or the dress ample fullness is not only designed to eifi able it to be worn over the ordinary clothes but is advantageous in that it includes a larger volume oi air within it.

, This garment is open at the upper end 3 above the shoulders and may be provided with a draw string to close it around the lower part of the neck but this tying need not be exceptionally close. Secured along the line 4 to the upper part of the body garment 2 about the level of the shoulders is a portion 5 of water-proof and airproof material forming a neck closure and supplementary air container. This portion 5 is provided along its upper edge 6 with a neck band and draw stringthat it may be drawn close around the neck of the wearer and made practically wateixand air-tight. This portion of the dress should be made easily be drawn closely around the neck.

.As the neck closure 3 of the main body d rcss 2 not drawn tight around the neck, the air displaced from the bbdy envelop by the pressure of the water on the flexible material of it when. the wearer is using it is driven into the supplementary oir compartment 5, which is made full that it may be. inflated by this air and will afford sulficient buoyancy to sustain the wearer for a considerable time. Not only is the wearer thus safely sustained in the water by the buoyancy of the incloscd air but he is not exposed to direct contact with the water and the body and its ordinary clothes being entirely enveloped by the water-proof covering 2, the natural heat ofthe body is retained by the clothing. The person wearing the dress is thus enabled to endure the exposure for a very much longer time than would otherwise be the case until rescued.

Having now particularly described my'invention, .l hereby declare that what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is: v

1. A lite saving dress, comprising a portion enveloping the body up as far as the neck or shouhlers and a supplementarypor tion attached to the upper part of the body terior thereof, said supplementary portion having an upper edge thatnnay closely encircle the neck.

2. A life saying dress, comprising a body inclosing pbrtion of flexible water-proof fabric enveloping the entire body up to the portion and in conununication with the in- '75 of thin, light material that it may more neck or shoulders and a supplementary portion of waterproof material secured below the upper edge of the body portion and hav* ing an upper edge that may be drawn closely around the neck.

3. A life saving dress, comprising a body inclosing portion of flexible water proof fabric conforming fully to the limbs and having an inlet aperture closable with a I draw string around the base of the neck and a secondary envelop secured to the foregoing about the level of the shoulders and having a draw string for closing around the neck" above that of the main body envelop. 1

In testimony whereof Ilhave signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM MAGDQNALD.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN W: SPARKS, CLAUs R. Foss. 

